3D printing: The technology that changes everything

WE ARE smack bang in the middle of a second industrial revolution.

3D printing, or “additive manufacturing” as it is more properly known, is about to transform every single aspect of our lives.

Machines today can print objects out of almost any material – from nylon to glass, from chocolate to titanium – and with any complex geometry. This is transforming not just engineering, but many other fields, including education, archaeology, bio-printing and even food printing. Look online and you will see thousands of objects ready to be printed on demand, from custom-shaped hearing aids to authentic-looking replicas of ancient cuneiform tablets.

More importantly, soon anyone will be able to make complex products quickly and cheaply, something that will democratise innovation and unleash human creativity.

The next stage of this journey, which we are just beginning ...

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